Would antenna or booster help in rural area?

remrem · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 07 May 2008 Posts: 12

Hello all,

New here....Great forum! You guys seem like the right people to ask for a problem I have.

My girlfriend and I just bought a vacation house in Cochecton, NY. Zip is 12726. Our house is right by the Delaware River.

We do not have cell service at the house (0 bars) it cuts out about 4 miles up the road, do not have access to DSL or cable. Our only options for television was satellite and currently the only option for broadband is satellite internet.

We are COMPLETELY renovating the house so are on a tight budget for internet connection (things like appliances, new kitchen and bath are priority ) I have my own graphics design business and NEED access at the house for emailing some rather large files, viewing videos, etc.

So now to the point.... on our TIGHT budget we'd like to use something like Sprint's or Verizon's wireless broadband and use the card in one of those wireless routers so we can connect 2 or more computers to the connection.... ALL ON A BUDGET. Being that service is only available 4 miles away and we have NO service at the house would a booster or amp help us?

Am I dreaming here? What would the best course of action be?

Thanks!

Jim_in_VA · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 5:27 am Post subject:

You don't have Sprint service in the area but you are solidly in a Verizon Broadband Access area. Start there, get a modem and see what kind of signal/speeds you are getting before you make any additional purchases. The modem may be all you need, other than a router.
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remrem · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 07 May 2008 Posts: 12

Thanks for the reply.

Yes there is good service IN THE AREA but when I put in our EXACT address it shows that there is no covergae where we are. Which I expected because our cell phones do not get reception at our house.

Jim_in_VA · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 3:02 pm Post subject:

Are you speaking of Verizon or Sprint...or both? Have you checked to see if any WISP is in the area?
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remrem · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 07 May 2008 Posts: 12

I am speaking about Verizon. The service for Verizon ends a few miles up the road from our house.

Yes, I have looked for a WISP in the area and can find NOTHING.... although I admit I'm not sure exactly the best places to look. I've spent hours trying to find one though, along with a local cable and phone services that could provide DSL or cable broadband service.

We're too far from Verizon's CO and the cable company's services end up the road and neither have any plans to extend service into our area so we are ALWAYS just out of reach.

It's holding up renovations on the house as well because we'd like to work on the house maybe 1 or 2 days a week more but we have no solid communications Sad

Jim_in_VA · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 4:19 pm Post subject:

ok gotcha. I don't know what kind of terrain you are in, but you need to locate where the towers are in relationship to your house. With this information you can narrow down what kind of external antenna you can use to ge a signal. A directional can give you a very long link depending on terrain. You have a trial period to use first. With the modem in hand you can check the signal levels and then proceed (if needed) to add the antenna. You just won't know how it will work unless you have something to test it with first. A cell phone alone will not tell you.
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remrem · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 07 May 2008 Posts: 12

Jim, I just wanted thank you for your help in this.

I know where the towers are in the area. Our house is located in the Delaware River Valley. The road we are in is "hilly" and travels west into the valley. Back to the east and up the hills are where the towers would be.

This is where I am slightly confused though. On the opposite side of the river are 2 towers that are actually closer but that side of the river seems to only have cell service and no broadband according to Verizon's coverage map. Are there different towers used for cell and broadband?

Jim_in_VA · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 5:42 pm Post subject:

Some towers have not been upgraded to EVDO but this is changing rapidly. You can check at www.antennasearch.com to see who owns the towers you are speaking of. If you see one that has Cellco Partnership in the details...its Verizon. Of course driving to the tower with modem in hand will confirm it.
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remrem · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 07 May 2008 Posts: 12

OK, I did a search for towers and there are 2 that are actually within 1 mile from the house but they are owned by a company called Princeton Towers and Wireless Edge.

There are then 4 towers 10 miles from the house and at least 1 of them is a Verizon Tower because they are listed as Bell Nynex.

I'm wondering if this is all worth it or if I should try and get a hi-gain antenna and try and pick up the WiFi network at the high school or library that allow open access?

Jim_in_VA · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 8:12 pm Post subject:

You could try that or get the modem and make your own yagi .Details are on my blog...click on the www button on the bottom of my post. That, and other info might assist you.
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remrem · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 07 May 2008 Posts: 12

Again Jim, thanks for your help!

If you were in my situation which route would you go?

1) Get the verizon modem and most likely have to buy the directional antenna

2) Get the directional antenna anyway and attempt to connect to a Wi-Fi network

Thanks,
John

Jim_in_VA · Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 4:45 am Post subject:

The Wi-Fi network will certainly be the least expensive. If you think you can make the link and there is no restrictions on its use, I would probably try that first. That's going to be a 2.4 GHz antenna.
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remrem · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 07 May 2008 Posts: 12

I will try that Jim.

Regarding the antenna.... you said 2.4ghz

There is a Hawking USB adapter that has a replaceable antenna. It has 2.4ghz.

However, I'm a bit confused because there is a product called an Alfa 500mW network adapter that is supposed to be the most powerful USB network adapter on the market.

What are these ghz and mW numbers suggesting?

Jim_in_VA · Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 1:18 pm Post subject:

2.4 GHz is the frequency WiFi operates in. So the antenna you use is tuned to that. Both of the adapters you mention are compatible, so that is a non-issue.
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seedspreader · EVDO Newbie Joined: 08 May 2008 Posts: 2

Hi All,

I am new also. This is exactly my dilemma also.

I checked out antennasearch.com and it says there are 2 towers (at the very far edge not really in the 4 mile circle.) and 4 antennae around.

The 4 antennae are at the same location and owned by the same contractor.

Would I contact them about service?

I borrowed my mom's evdo verizon wireless card and it doesn't work in my location. My phones (wireless) only work if I step outside on the road going up the hill...

Any help is graciously appreciated.